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Forum Index > Rifles general discussion > Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!

Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!

29 Mar 2015
@ 04:29 am (GMT)

Craig Henard

Hi,i bought a new Tikka t3 Superlight in 270 Winchester.
I just got around to buying a Box of Federal Fusion 130 grain ammo for it.
I got home and loaded a round in the magazine and fed it into the chamber and tried to close the bolt on the round.
I first it wouldn,t close but I then put a little pressure on it and it chambered the round.

I then ejected the round and examined it.
there was a slighlt shiny area on the bottom of the cartridge head and brass coloring on the bolt head.
I then took a black Marker and blackened the cartridge head , then right above the case head and then where the shoulder starts.(no marker ruboff here
I rechambered the round (a tad easier now,just a tad)and worked the bolt up and down 5 times and ejected the round and examined it again.
the black marking I had put on the bottom of the cartridge head was almost completely gone,there was a tad of black marking transferred to the bolt head and a tiny(in width) shiny ring(all the way around the beginning of the cartridge shoulder) in the black I had marked on it. Also noticed Just a few tiny(barely visible lengthwise scratches on the cartridgecase
I also put marker on bullet and entire case neck and saw no evidence of bullet engaging the rifleing or on ruboff of any of the neck marker other than right where the shoulder starts.
I also did this on another cartridge in the box of ammo just to make sure it wasn,t just one round.



Nathan is this just a slightly short head spaced chamber and nothing to worry about(maybe even something to be glad of?) or is it something that needs attention and repair?
Safe to fire I presume?

Thanks
Craig

Replies

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29 Mar 2015
@ 06:23 am (GMT)

Craig Henard

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Here are a couple of pics to better describe what i am talking about.

First pic is of marker blackened cartridge showing thin ring rubbed off with 5 cycles of bolt up and down.
I gripped the pistol grip with my right hand and then pulled my thumb over to right side of reciever and pull down with my thumb only and considerable pressure to close bolt then lifted with palm and repeated 5 times


Next photo is one of catridge head that was blackened and what it looks like after 5 up and down bolt cycles
29 Mar 2015
@ 06:25 am (GMT)

Craig Henard

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
29 Mar 2015
@ 08:20 pm (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Hi Craig. Yes, just a short chamber. It is not really a major issue and yes, with factory ammo it will help keep velocities high and may also help accuracy to a degree. Might make hand loading a bit more difficult though, neck sizing off the table.

It could also be an ammo batch issue but probably not.

This is a good example of why reloading manuals have to start low with suggested loads- chambers can vary a great deal.

After you fire a cartridge, check to see if the empty case can be rechambered without too much difficulty.

You can slso perform the locking lug check from from the Accurizing book. It is rare for the current Tikka rifles to have contact on only one lug- but if yours does have contact on one lug only, you can regain some chamber space via lug lapping. Just keep in mind that we have to avoid lapping to any extreme as this can weaken primary extraction (PE= bolt camming during extraction).

29 Mar 2015
@ 11:59 pm (GMT)

Craig Henard

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Hi Nathan
I will be shooting only factory loads .

I checked the locking lugs before I bought the rifle(display rifle in store rack which had the action cycled who knows how many times before I bought it)
The rifle appears to have close to 100% lug contact.
I did put some grease on the lugs shortly after getting the rifle.

I will be firing the rifle this upcoming week(weather and schedule permitting) and will and let you know how the empty case rechambered.

Thanks
Craig
30 Mar 2015
@ 12:53 am (GMT)

Craig Henard

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Hi Nathan ,I decided to make sure the bore was clean and go ahead and shoot it. Stepped outside and just shot one round into the ground .
Case extracted easily and rechambered easily.
I will estimate chambering pressure on the bolt handle with the empty case, as a little bit harder than working the bolt on an empty chamber but a tad bit easier than initial chambering of a round .

30 Mar 2015
@ 03:57 am (GMT)

Martin Taylor

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Just to look from a different angle Craig, will the stiff chambering stop you from cycling the action quickly in the field?
From what you discribe it sounds like a similar bolt feel to neck sized reloads, which is all good if you like to "feel" your round chamber.
30 Mar 2015
@ 05:41 am (GMT)

chris murphy

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Hi crag I found same thing with a tikka 270 I set up for a young fuller using Winchester factory ammo the odd round would be tight to close it was the neck shoulder junction that was hitting. We used them to teach him to shoot and fire form brass. I bedded it and Now reloading for it and all is fine. It was the most finicky tikka I have dealt with tho. Went through incremental load development only getting 1" group at best. Then had to seat 140sst down to cannelure 3mm ish jump by memory to get it to shoot sub half minute
31 Mar 2015
@ 08:10 pm (GMT)

Craig Henard

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Well I boresighted the rifle on a 1 inch orange dot at 50 yards to make sure I was on paper at a Hundred.

Federal Fusion 130 grain,Leupold VX1 set on 9 power,2 inch orange stick on dot for aiming point.

Next it Took me 4 shots to get point of impact where I wanted it (2 inches high at a Hundred.

Shot 3 shot group off bench 2 shots touching and dropped one shot(the second)which left me with a 3 shot group of 1-1/8
Been awhile since I shot .

Next after waiting for the barrel to cool completely down I really paid attention to my form off the Bench and shot 3 rounds one after another with no cooling time between shots. 3 shot group of exactly .75 inch with the bullet holes having almost no vertical differences . Just side by side.

Inspected bore with bore light and Magnafying glass after 4 shots and just saw mainly powder fouling about the last 1/4 inch from crown of barrel.

I didn,t bother to clean fouling out and just shot the remaining rounds.There May or may not be fouling under the powder fouling.

Checklist of things I did prior to shooting the rifle
Adjusted trigger to 1.75 pounds then took it lower to 1.5 pounds and used Blue loctite on bolt that holds trigger assembly to rifle,also put Blue Loctite (249)on trigger itself.

I greased under the action ,lug and recess that accepts lug .
Greased under the trigger Assembly as well.

Reassembled using 35 inch pounds on front and rear action screws

Attached scope rings to rifles dovetail using 25 inch pounds on screws
Checked for reticule cant and proper eye relief

Attached ring tops using 20 inch pounds

Wheeler torque wrench Used for all Torque Values

Ran lightly oiled Patches through bore then used 5 medium fitting patches to remove most of the oil from the bore.

I intend to pick up a box of Federal Premium 130 grain Partition when it becomes Available ,also try Federal Blue Box 130 and Hornady American Whitetail 130 grain and Possible Federal Premium 130 Grain Ballistic tip.

But for now I think that with the accuracy displayed the combo will work for 300-350 Yard shots.

the weight of the rifle with Allen Buttstock Pouch(to raise comb height) and loaded 5 round magazine is 7 pounds 4 ounces.

Of course I would be happier with .5 inch groups !!


Thanks Nathan and to the other guys as well
Craig

31 Mar 2015
@ 09:19 pm (GMT)

Martin Taylor

Re: Nathan I have New Tikka T3 chambering issues !!
Of course I would be happier with .5 inch groups !!

You are starting down the long range road Craig, haaaa. Be careful it gets addictive.

Have to be happy with an off the shelf rifle with factory ammo that will shoot like the Tikka's do hey! Good stuff.
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